109th over: England 459-4 (Root 133, Stokes 46) Bumrah continues to Root, who drops a single on the off side. No sign yet of England pushing for a declaration or to put time back in the game. The forecast for the next two days is imperfect but reasonably good \u2013 it\u2019s not like the 2023 Ashes Test, when non-stop rain was on every weather forecast in the appsphere.<\/p>\n
A bit of housekeeping: on Root\u2019s greatness and comparisons with Sutcliffe, Hutton and the rest, I should have referred to the volume of Test cricket he has played rather than his longevity. I\u2019d love to blame my own longevity, and the consequent impact on my brain, but it was just a lack of concentration.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n 108th over: England 458-4 (Root 132, Stokes 46) Washington Sundar, weirdly underbowled in this innings, replaces Thakur. Stokes tries a reverse sweep, doesn\u2019t beat the infield and gives himself a jolt of cramp in the process. He\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 107th over: England 458-4 (Root 132, Stokes 46) Stokes cover drives Bumrah majestically for four, the kind of shot you can\u2019t always play off Bumrah. Maybe it has stirred something in him becuse the next ball nips ball sharply to hit Stokes on the body.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the averages question, what do you think is the minimum number of innings for a \u2018real\u2019 average?\u201d asks Ben Mimmack. \u201cKamindu Mendis is #2 on the official test list at the moment with 62.66 off just 24 innings \u2013 surely too few to be recognised as a great. But Graeme Pollock is widely recognised as one of the finest bats ever with an average over 60, but only 41 innings.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the same reason, my single-digit batting average in club cricket is invalid because I recorded fewer than 100 scores.\u201d<\/p>\n The usual threshold is 20 innings. That made the success of Adam Voges problematic for the hardcore nerds but after eight years of therapy I\u2019m at peace with that now but I still think it\u2019s a reasonable threshold. As long as you provide or aware of the context, I don\u2019t think it matters. It\u2019s those malefactors who use stats irresponsibly that make life difficult.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 106th over: England 450-4 (Root 130, Stokes 41) Stokes again tries to marmalise Thakur and again doesn\u2019t make proper contact. Root shows there\u2019s more than one way to skin a bowler by timing a gorgeous boundary down the ground on the walk.<\/p>\n An under-edge from Root bounces short of Jurel; then he works a single to bring up the 450. England lead by 92.<\/p>\n \u201cI share your numb feeling towards Root\u2019s greatness,\u201d writes Dave Tull. \u201cGrowing up watching England v India, I would yearn for England to have a player like Dravid or Tendulkar, who simply never felt like they were going to get out. The idea that we have one in Root still feels so foreign. Is this what actually being good at cricket feels like?!\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 105th over: England 442-4 (Root 125, Stokes 39) Bumrah was also injured in the last Test in Australia, a series that could easily have ended 2-2 rather than 3-1 had he been available. He probably shouldn\u2019t be bowling here but it\u2019s India\u2019s last, last, last chance so he\u2019s putting himself through the pain. But the first two overs of this spell have been like watching a tribute act rather than the real thing.<\/p>\n \u201cI always loved watching Ricky Ponting, even \u2013 especially \u2013 when he was the pantomime villain for so many English fans,\u201d writes Boris Starling. \u201cA fabulous batsman (his 156 at Old Trafford in 2005 is still one of the best innings I\u2019ve ever seen), an unbelievably brilliant fielder, and as uncompromising a leader as they come. I\u2019m so glad that in retirement and behind the mike he\u2019s let people see that he\u2019s also clearly an excellent bloke too.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019ve never forgiven him for burning Duncan Fletcher\u2019s toast<\/a> in 2005.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 104th over: England 441-4 (Root 124, Stokes 39) Thakur pleads for LBW when Root walks down and across. It\u2019s similar to the Siraj appeal earlier in the day \u2013 but India were wrong to go upstairs on that occasion and they can\u2019t risk their last review here. It was missing leg.<\/p>\n \u201cI sometimes think we don\u2019t quite understand the golden age of English Test cricket that we\u2019re living through,\u201d writes Phil Harrison. \u201cUntil recently, two nailed-on starters (Root and Anderson) in any all-time England XI and two others who would be very much in the conversation (Stokes and Broad), all in the same team. And I suspect that in a decade we might be talking about Harry Brook and Jamie Smith in similar terms too. Salad days. This winter\u2019s Ashes feel like they could be the culmination of something very special.\u201d<\/p>\n I suspect the lack of an Ashes win, home or away and please let\u2019s not start on the moral victories, is the main reason for that. We still see cricket through, erm, urn-tinted spectacles.<\/p>\n Phil Tufnell and Devon Malcolm have a combined career total of 382 test match runs. Beat that, Root. Photograph: Graham Chadwick\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a011.22 EDT<\/p>\n 103rd over: England 438-4 (Root 123, Stokes 38) Bumrah starts after tea, although he\u2019s clearly struggling with what looks like an ankle problem. His pace has dropped to between 77-82 mph and there are no alarms for Root or Stokes in that over.<\/p>\n \u201cRegarding your Root comparison with the Don, the greatest certainly had \u2018longevity\u2019 (despite playing significantly fewer Tests, as was the custom of the time),\u201d writes Thomas Walker. \u201cDonald played Test cricket for 20 years, from 1928 to 1948, debuting at 20 years old. He\u2019s basically the benchmark for longevity. So no, I will not countenance any comparison of Root with Bradman. Signed, an Australian.\u201d<\/p>\n What comparison was this? All cricket fans recognise that Don Bradman is the greatest, not least because of all those Test hundreds he scored during World War Two.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n This is Joe Root\u2019s 12th Test century against India. Only Don Bradman (19 v England) and Sunil Gavaskar (13 v West Indies) have scored more against a single opponent.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Winnie the Pooh on a lark<\/p>\n \u201cPutting the stature of Joe Root in context might seem daunting because of the titanic nature of his achievement but, like many dreaded tasks, it\u2019s actually a doddle,\u201d writes Robert Wilson. \u201c England fans\u2019 view of him is skewed by fear of failure and disappointment (and the hard-to-dislike instinctive despondency of English cricket followers). All you need to do is model what opposition fans think when they see him schlepping out with bat in hand.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat they\u2019re almost certainly thinking is \u2018Oh eff it, here\u2019s this freckled elf come out to get his usual party-pooping 120. What\u2019s the bleedin\u2019 point?\u2019 There is something absolutely relentless about him which you just can\u2019t get if you\u2019re a fan. I remember Steve Waugh doing that to every Brit I knew way back when. At least he had the face for it. The horror of Root is that he crushes it out of you while looking like Winnie the Pooh on a lark. That\u2019s bound to make it worse.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIs Root really the GOAT amongst English batters?\u201d says Adrian Goldman. \u201cSurely the immortal Don is still the greatest of the greatest, though he has far fewer runs and centuries than Sachin. On that basis, what about Sutcliffe, Barrington, Hammond, Hobbs and Hutton, all of whom have significantly higher Test averages – above 55\/innings?\u201d<\/p>\n I have a greater appreciation of longevity than I did when I was younger, which is why I would put Root at the top. Bradman is different because his average is entirely preposterous. But either argument is valid and I wouldn\u2019t start abusing anyone on a digital platform for putting Wally Hammond, Jack Hobbs or whoever at No1.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cJoe Root,\u201d begins Simon McMahon. \u201cIf he could field and bowl a bit, maybe do some impressions, he\u2019d be an all time great.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n In the County Championship, Rehan Ahmed has become the first Englishman since Sir Ian Botham to score a century and take 13 wickets in a first-class match. Beefy did it against India in the Golden Jubilee Test of 1979-80, aided by industrial quantities of brandy<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.51 EDT<\/p>\n Regular OBO readers will know I don\u2019t like plugging my own work, oh no, but I\u2019m slightly proud of this piece on Joe Root from 2013<\/a>. Not the writing so much as the recognition of unique qualities that endure to this day. You know what they say: game recognise game a stopped clock is right twice a day.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Tea: England lead by 75<\/p>\n 102nd over: England 433-4 (Root 121, Stokes 36) Root cuts the last ball of the season, bowled by Thakur, for a single and walks off to his 48th ovation of the day. His great mate Ben Stokes stands back to let Root leave the field first.<\/p>\n With all these milestones it\u2019s easy to forget that England are in the most wonderful position. The second new ball felt like India\u2019s last chance of getting back in the game; now their best hope is rain, lots of rain.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI am somewhere north of 50 years old,\u201d writes John Culley. \u201cMy heroes in the 1980s were Graham Gooch and David Gower, both exceptional and very different talents. Root has as many centuries as they had combined. He really is an underappreciated little master.\u201d<\/p>\n There are only two Little Masters. Four if you count Sunil Gavaskar and Fergie Gupte.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Joe Root becomes the second highest runscorer in Tests!<\/p>\n 101st over: England 432-4 (Root 120, Stokes 36) Bumrah walks in to replace Siraj, only for the umpires to tell him he can\u2019t bowl until after tea because of the time he spent off the field. That means the return of Anshul Kamboj \u2013 and Root dabs a single, the 13,379th run of his Test career, to move above Ricky Ponting and into second on the all-time list.<\/p>\n The Old Trafford crowd give him another ovation, the fourth or fifth of the day. Imagine the noise if he overtakes Sachin Tendulkar. That\u2019s for another day, and indeed year: Sachin is around 2,500 runs ahead of the rest.<\/p>\n In the commentary box Ricky Ponting, who loves cricket far more than he loves himself or his own records, hails Root\u2019s achievement with an enthusiasm you can\u2019t fake.<\/p>\n An all-time great. Photograph: Alex Davidson\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.45 EDT<\/p>\n 100th over: England 428-4 (Root 119, Stokes 32) Ricky Ponting enters the commentary box just in time to see Joe Root join him on 13,378 Test runs. Only Sachin Tendulkar has scored more. I don\u2019t know about you but I\u2019m almost numb to Joe Root\u2019s greatness.<\/p>\n Stokes tries to club Thakur into a different postcode, doesn\u2019t make proper contact and breaks his bat in the process.<\/p>\n \u201cOBO handover\u201d is the subject of John Starbuck\u2019s email. \u201cDo OBO scribes have a competition regarding who\u2019s on duty for significant targets achieved?\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s done by the clock. That\u2019s been the case ever since a sickening incident when Andy Bull and Lawrence Booth both thought they should call Steven Finn\u2019s first Test fifty.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.35 EDT<\/p>\n 99th over: England 424-4 (Root 116, Stokes 32) Siraj goes for the glory ball, strains too hard and is flicked effortlessly through midwicket for four by Joe Root.<\/p>\n Now Siraj is limping. This is becoming a nightmare for India. Bumrah is on the field but can\u2019t bowl until after tea, and that might be a struggle given how frequently he\u2019s grimacing.<\/p>\n At the end of the over, Siraj moves slowly off the field to receive treatment. Mike Atherton\u2019s arm-wrestle analogy<\/a> feels custom-made for a day like today.<\/p>\n Mohammed Siraj looks in some discomfort. Photograph: Martin Rickett\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.37 EDT<\/p>\n 98th over: England 415-4 (Root 108, Stokes 31) Bumrah is back on the field \u2013 but he looks really uncomfortable and is grimacing every team his foot hits the floor. Shardul Thakur comes on for Kamboj, whose latest spell lasted just two overs, and is milked for four.<\/p>\n It almost beggars belief that Thakur is in the team ahead of Prasidh Krishna, never mind Kuldeep Yadav. India\u2019s selection in this series has been a mess. From afar, Gautam Gambhir always seemed a Rhadamanthine character but he and the selectors have changed their mind on a number of players in this series.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.22 EDT<\/p>\n 97th over: England 411-4 (Root 106, Stokes 29) The luckless Siraj zips consecutive deliveries past Stokes\u2019s outside edge. I have no idea how he is still wicketless innings.<\/p>\n Siraj tries to engage Stokes in some hard-faced discourse. No luck there either.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 96th over: England 409-4 (Root 105, Stokes 28) <\/p>\n All right lad, you okay, you\u2019re playing well there.<\/p>\n Those were Joe Root\u2019s first words to Kevin Pietersen when he walked out to bat on his Test debut at Nagpur in 2012. It was obvious during that innings, a serene five-hour 73, that England had found a player. We had no idea they\u2019d found the player, the greatest English batter of all time.<\/p>\n That hundred, Root\u2019s 38th in Tests, takes him to joint-fourth on that all-time list.<\/p>\n 51 Sachin Tendulkar (Ind)<\/p>\n 45 Jacques Kallis (SA)<\/p>\n 41 Ricky Ponting (Aus)<\/p>\n 38 Joe Root (Eng), Kumar Sangakkara (SL)<\/p>\n 36 Rahul Dravid (Ind), Steve Smith (Aus)<\/p>\n Share<\/a>JOE ROOT’S 38TH TEST CENTURY!<\/p>\n Boos ring round Old Trafford as Joe Root clips Kamboj fine for four to reach \u2013 just dwell on this for a second \u2013 his 38th Test century. He celebrates modestly, then takes his helmet off to acknowledge an ovation full of unconditional love. For a Yorkshireman, in Manchester.<\/p>\n Rooooooooooooooooot! Photograph: Stu Forster\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a010.10 EDT<\/p>\n 95th over: England 402-4 (Root 99, Stokes 27) Siraj, bless him, is charging in as if the future of humanity depends on him taking a wicket THIS INSTANT. He\u2019s bowling very straight, looking for LBW or bowled, but Stokes and Root are up to it in that over. They take a single apiece, which means Root will start the next over on 99 not out.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 94th over: England 400-4 (Root 98, Stokes 26) Bumrah has left the field after only one over with the ball. That\u2019s a huge problem for India because this, right here, is probably their last chance of saving the series. Kamboj replaces him, prompting Stokes to alter his approach ever so slightly.<\/p>\n Okay, a lot. He charges down the pitch and wallops a length ball back past Kamboj for four. Stokes has reached 20 in eight of his last 10 innings, yet his highest score in that time is 49 not out. If he gets through the new ball he\u2019ll have every chance of changing that statistic.<\/p>\n \u201cI see India took the new ball after 90 overs, not 80,\u201d notes Michael Rowbottom. \u201cDoes that mean they can get another new ball after just 70 overs, or do they have to have it for the full 80 overs?\u201d<\/p>\n They have to wait another 80. Should that happen in this innings, they will be in a galaxy of pain.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 93rd over: England 394-4 (Root 98, Stokes 21) Sheesh, Root has multiple scares during a terrific Siraj over. He plays and misses three times, then almost drags the ball onto the stumps via the thigh pad. That was similar to the freakish dismissal of Michael Vaughan at Trent Bridge in 2007, a decisive moment in India\u2019s series win.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Cheers James (to be said in a David-from-the-Royle-Family voice), hello everyone.<\/p>\n That\u2019ll do for the pleasantries before Joseph Edward Root, Jolly Excellent Root, is on strike on 98.<\/p>\n Share<\/a> 92nd over: England 394-4 (Root 98, Stokes 21) Root goes to 98 with a clip and brisk single to mid on off Bumrah. He\u2019ll have a drink to calm the nerves. Ali Martin, sat beside me whispers that Root has fallen in the nineties just three times in his Test career.<\/p>\n That\u2019s me done. Here\u2019s Rob Smyth to bring it\/Root home.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.58 EDT<\/p>\n 91st over: England 383-4 (Root 95, Stokes 14) Siraj takes the new ball after a couple with the old and he gets one to slam into Stokes\u2019 box. Ouchy. After a few deep breaths, Stokes is good to resume and clips a single to hobble off strike. Root nurdles two into the gap square of the wicket to go to 95\u2026<\/p>\n Big Ben gets bonged. Photograph: Stu Forster\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.54 EDT<\/p>\n 90th over: England 378-4 (Root 93, Stokes 11) Ten runs off Sundar\u2019s latest as England begin to accumulate more comfortably. Root reverse-sweeps with aplomb to move into the nineties. Shubman Gill has seen enough, Mohammed Siraj is replacing Jadeja from the Statham End. New ball imminent! The next passage of play may well define this Test series.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 89th over: England 368-4 (Root 88, Stokes 7) Root and Stokes have negotiated this tricky period and are starting to rotate strike a bit more easily. It might not be long before we see Bumrah with the new ball.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAfternoon, Jimbo. That analogy to a 3am campfire (77th over) does make me wonder how it would work out with this England XI. Who\u2019s liable to whip out an acoustic guitar unbidden? Who brought smores? And who\u2019s most likely to burst into tears because they heard a noise in the woods that might be the Bumrah bogeyman?\u201d<\/p>\n Well Sean Clayton, here are the answers \u2013 Root, Woakes and Pope. In that order. No further questions.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 88th over: England 363-4 (Root 84, Stokes 6) India still don\u2019t call for the new ball, Jadeja rattles through another, Stokes cuts for a single, Root drives for one and Stokes dabs a single off the last to keep strike. Washington Sundar will keep going, the fourth umpire can be spotted waiting in the wings with the new Dukes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 87th over: England 360-4 (Root 83, Stokes 4) A cheer goes around Old Trafford as Root clips the single off Sundar that takes England into the lead. A lead of 80-100 runs could be monumental on this wicket.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 86th over: England 358-4 (Root 82, Stokes 3) Jadeja rushes one through and it hits Root on the pad\u2026 a huge appeal but the Umpire says no and India choose not to burn their last review. Wisely \u2013 it was heading down leg. Root drives to mid off to bring the scores level. Every one from now will hurt India that little bit more.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 85th over: England 357-4 (Root 81, Stokes 3) Washington Sundar has men around the bat and is in some lovely rhythm. Shubman Gill must be cursing that he didn\u2019t toss him the ball until the 68th over of the innings! Stokes plays out a maiden.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.18 EDT<\/p>\n 84th over: England 357-4 (Root 81, Stokes 3) Root sweeps Jadeja into the deep for three runs, Kamboj nearly makes a hash of the boundary fielding but has his blushes spared by a millimetre or two right in front of the \u2018Party stand\u2019. They are loosening up in there by the look\/sounds of it.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 83rd over: England 353-4 (Root 78, Stokes 2) Root clips a single but England are watchful against Sundar.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 82nd over: England 352-4 (Root 77, Stokes 2) Gill stays with spin, Stokes goes deep in his crease and gets off the mark with two runs poked past slip. Feels like a different game now, England still trail by nine runs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 81st over: England 349-4 (Root 76, Stokes 0) Ben Stokes arrives in the middle, Sundar is twirling away full of confidence after the double strike. Stokes is watchful in defence, the atmosphere has ramped up here at Old Trafford. England were coasting but losing Pope and Brook in the early stages after lunch has given India some hope of limiting the first innings damage.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Brook st Jurel b Washington Sundar 3 (England 349-4)<\/p>\n Another to Washington Sundar! Harry Brook is done in the flight, dancing out of his crease and left stranded by the drift, Jurel whips off the bails and India have snared two quick wickets after lunch to come back into this match!<\/p>\n Harry Brook is gone for just 3 runs. Photograph: Stu Forster\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.18 EDT<\/p>\n 80th over: England 349-3 (Root 76, Brook 3) Just a single off Jadeja to Brook. India aren\u2019t going to take the new ball straight away, Washington has his dander up\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 79th over: England 348-3 (Root 76, Brook 2) Washington Sundar has some lovely drift and flight going on here, I wonder if Gill might delay taking the new ball with spin looking threatening all of a sudden.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 77th over: England 345-3 (Root 75, Brook 0) Root nails a sweep off Jadeja to the leg-side fence. England trail by 13 runs, they\u2019ll want a sizeable first innings lead here, with Jofra Archer carded to come in at number 11 England bat deeper than a sixth form philosophy student sat around a campfire at 3am. Deep.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 76th over: England 341-3 (Root 71, Brook 0) In strolls Harry Brook. Do not adjust your set. Sundar lopes in and beats him on the back foot! Close to edge and off stump. Suddenly India\u2019s dander is up and the new ball is just around the corner. A wicket maiden for Sundar, why wasn\u2019t he introduced earlier in the piece?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>WICKET! Pope c Rahul b Washington Sundar 71 (England 341-3)<\/p>\n Flight, drift and a Pope poke to slip! Sundar strikes in the second over after lunch. India needed that, a familiar dismissal for Pope who stomps off furious with himself, there was a ton for the taking out there.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a009.02 EDT<\/p>\n 75th over: England 341-2 (Pope 71, Root 71) Here come the players for the afternoon session. India need wickets. Jadeja starts to Root who flicks his very first ball behind point for a couple and then rocks back to a shorter ball and times it through midwicket for four.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.51 EDT<\/p>\n Ali getting his statto on:<\/p>\n Joe Root moves to 50 for the 104th time in his Test career. Only Sachin Tendulkar, 119 times, is fiftier @englandcricket<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) July 25, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A very serviceable chicken curry in the Old Trafford press box and then a check of the emails\u2026 Neil Gibson is having a bad day, he doesn\u2019t really mean this, I hope.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry to say it but this is now a boring Test match\u201d<\/p>\n There\u2019s no pleasing some people.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Lunch – England 332-2 (trail by 26 runs on first innings)<\/p>\n Root reverse sweeps for three and exchanges a couple more singles with Pope to take England serenely to lunch. 107 runs added in 28 overs, no alarms and no surprises.<\/p>\n Time for some scran, back soon.<\/p>\n 74th over: England 332-2 (Pope 70, Root 63)<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a008.08 EDT<\/p>\n 73rd over: England 327-2 (Pope 69, Root 59) Root and Pope are picking up singles and rotating strike at will. After a few scares from balls spitting and scudding in the first half hour this has been a relative cakewalk for England so far on day three.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 72nd over: England 323-2 (Pope 66, Root 58) Jadeja drops short, Root rocks back and angles away for four more.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 71st over: England 318-2 (Pope 65, Root 54) Bosh! Root steps down to Sundar and clatters a drive back past the bowler for four. England trail by just 40 now. India are hurting at the moment.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.56 EDT<\/p>\n 70th over: England 313-2 (Pope 64, Root 50) Pope drives Jadeja for another single.<\/p>\n \u201cHi James, Rowan Tewari\u2019s mate passing comment on England\u2019s greatest ever run scorer reminded me of my only included OBO missive during the immortal \u201905 Ashes series, which can still be found on page 172\/173 of the marvellous Is it Cowardly to Pray for Rain:<\/p>\n \u201cMy wife – forced to assume some interest as the cricket was on all day – asked me genuinely \u201cThat blond one is getting hit all the time – is he no good because he\u2019s fat? He doesn\u2019t look like a professional sportsman.\u201d<\/p>\n I don\u2019t think we even need to say who she was referring to, do we? RIP.\u201d<\/p>\n Lovely stuff from Ben Heywood.<\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/James_Wallace.png\")
James Wallace<\/p>\n